Game Assembly

ABSTRACT

Layout game comprising a number of cards ( 1 ) having images ( 3 ) which when playing the game have to be laid out in matching connections, wherein the images are spaced from at least one border portion ( 4   a - d ) of the cards. Preferably the cards are at least partially made of transparent material, particularly the said border portion. Preferably the images are spaced from at least almost the entire circumferential border of the cards. Preferably the images have the shape that is similar to the cards.

The invention relates to a layout game for one or more players.

Layout games are known, such as for instance dominoes, having rectangular tiles, or triominos, having triangular tiles, wherein the tiles have to be laid out against each other in a particular way.

Many people enjoy playing such layout games. However there are people who have some trouble managing and placing the tiles.

Another problem may occur when the available room is too little for stocking the tiles.

Another problem may occur when the layout surface allows for the tiles to be easily—inadvertently—moved.

It is an object of the invention to at least improve on one of these objections.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a layout game according to a new concept.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a layout game that is easily manageable.

From one aspect the invention to that end provides a layout game comprising a number of cards having images which have to be laid out in matching connections, wherein the images are spaced from at least one border portion of the cards. As a result managing the game elements provided with the images is facilitated, even though the images themselves are of limited size, even small.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment the cards are at least partially made of transparent material, particularly the said border portion, as a result of which the cards can be laid over/upon each other and the image on the underlying card still remains properly visible.

Such layout options and management options are increased if the images are spaced from at least half the circumferential border of the cards. An advantageous embodiment is one wherein the images are spaced from at least almost the entire circumferential border of the cards. The image may be centred, in which case an image-free area is present on all sides. Alternatively the image may abut in a corner.

Manageability is further improved when the images have a shape that is similar to the cards.

In an embodiment the images are polygonal. Thus the images may be triangular, for instance for playing the game Triominos© (registered trademark).

Alternatively the images may be rectangular for instance for playing the game dominoes.

In a further embodiment the cards may be polygonal. The cards may for instance be rectangular, and then easily be taken along in a box like an ordinary card game.

In a further embodiment the said border portion forms a side of said polygon. In yet a further embodiment the said half of the circumferential border forms two or more sides of the polygon. Preferably the said sides match each other.

The invention furthermore provides a card suitable and intended for a layout game according to the invention.

The invention will be elucidated on the basis of an exemplary embodiment shown in the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of a card for a layout game according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section according to line II-II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a packaging including a layout game according to the invention; and

FIG. 4 shows an example of using a layout game according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a rectangular card 1, comprising a centrally positioned rectangular game part or image 3 (for instance of paper), in this case an image in the form of the upper surface of a dominoes tile. The image 3 is surrounded by a similarly shaped plate 2 that is also rectangular and which is made up of two layers 2 a, b of transparent, synthetic material, which in the manner known per se are adhered to each other under the influence of heat (sealing), while enclosing the image 3 sandwich-like, as shown in FIG. 2.

It can be seen in the FIGS. 1 and 2 that the image 3 is surrounded by border areas 4 a-d, that merge into each other and form transparent surfaces having widths of d1, d2, d3 and d4, respectively, forming a comfortable engagement point to the fingers of the player's hand for easy management of the card 1. The card 1 is rigid to such an extent that it is not floppy when held at one of the border areas 4 a-d.

By way of example the card 1 may have a width of 5 cm and a length of 8 cm, d1-4 being 1 cm.

The cards 1 adapted to playing a game, such as for instance dominoes, can be accommodated as a stack in the internal space 11 of the box 10 shown in FIG. 3, which box can be closed off by means of a flap 12.

An example of playing with cards such as card 1 of FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 4. On a solid basis 20 a first card 1 a is laid out. The card 1 a has an image 3 a in the dominoes shape, with the signs 1 and 3. A next card 1 b is laid upon the card 1 a, and namely such that the image 3 b of card 1 b, having signs 3 and 4, connects to the sign 3 a of image 3 a of card 1 a in the matching way of dominoes. The transparent area 4 b of card 1 b here lies over a large part of the image 3 a, yet said image 3 a remains properly visible to the players. It can be seen that the cards 1 a and 1 b make surface contact with each other over a large area, so that a reliable positioning is achieved. Optionally the outer surface may be printed with a friction-increasing, for instance rubbery, ink, or have a fine friction-increasing structure.

Subsequently the third card 1 c is placed, which has an image 3 c having dominoes signs 1 and 4. The card 1 c is placed upon the card 1 b such that the signs 4 of the images 3 b and 3 c connect in a matching way according to the rules. Due to the transparent area 4 b of the card 1 c the image 3 b remains properly visible.

The game can be continued in the indicated manner. Optionally the transparent areas of several (for instance three) cards can be laid over each other, the images covered by the transparent areas remaining visible.

It will be understood that the card 1 and the image incorporated therein may have various shapes and designs, depending on the game one wishes to play. The images need not be of a regular shape. For instance the image may have the shape of a letter (scrabble). 

1. Layout game comprising a number of cards having images which when playing the game have to be laid out in matching connections, wherein the images are spaced from at least one border portion of the cards.
 2. Layout game according to claim 1, wherein the cards are at least partially made of transparent material, particularly in a border area located between the image and the said border portion.
 3. Layout game according to claim 1, wherein the images are spaced from at least half the circumferential border of the cards.
 4. Layout game according to claim 3, wherein the images are spaced from at least almost the entire circumferential border of the cards.
 5. Layout game according claim 1, wherein the images have a shape that is similar to the cards.
 6. Layout game according claim 1, wherein the images are polygonal.
 7. Layout game according to claim 6, wherein the images are triangular.
 8. Layout game according to claim 7, wherein the images form the game triominos.
 9. Layout game according to claim 6, wherein the images are rectangular.
 10. Layout game according to claim 9, wherein the images form the game dominoes.
 11. Layout game according claim 1, wherein the cards are polygonal.
 12. Layout game according to claim 11, wherein the cards are rectangular.
 13. Layout game according to claim 1, wherein the images have a shape that is similar to the cards, wherein the images are polygonal, and wherein the said border portion forms a side of the polygon.
 14. Layout game according to claim 13, wherein the images are spaced from at least half the circumferential border of the cards and wherein the said half of the circumferential border forms two or more sides of the polygon.
 15. Layout game according to claim 14, wherein the said sides match each other.
 16. Layout game according to claim 4, wherein the image is centred with respect to the card.
 17. Layout game according to claim 11, wherein the image matches at least one corner.
 18. Layout game according claim 1, wherein the image is incorporated in between two transparent foil layers.
 19. Layout game according claim 1, wherein at least one border portion of the image is parallel to a border portion of the card.
 20. Layout game according to claim 19, wherein the circumferential border of the image is substantially parallel to the circumferential border of the card.
 21. Card suitable and intended for a layout game according to claim
 1. 22. Packaging containing a stack of cards according to claim
 21. 23-24. (canceled)
 25. Layout game comprising a number of cards having a border and having images which when playing the game have to be laid out in matching connections, wherein the images are spaced from at least one portion of the border of the cards so as to form card border areas between the image and the border, wherein said card border area is transparent. 